The present invention relates to a production process for drinks, and more particularly to a production process for drinks with excellent taste and flavor.
Since milk-containing soft drink contains microbiologically rich nourishment, its sterilization is generally performed under severe conditions, for example, those equivalent to 121xc2x0 C. for 20-30 minutes.
Commercial soft drink products containing milk have been conventionally sterilized after formulation by blending extracted ingredients, etc. with a milk component. Severe sterilization conditions have been adopted which are equivalent to 121xc2x0 C. for 20-30 minutes. Thus, the original flavors and tastes of extract components, etc. have been significantly lost in these products.
For example, coffee drinks are formed from a liquid coffee extract, a milk component, a pH adjusting agent, an anti-oxidant, a sweetener, a flavor, etc. The product has been produced by blending these components, and thermally sterilizing a mixture obtained, and filling into sterilized containers. Severe sterilizing conditions have been adopted in compliance with food health regulations, and thus, the original aromatic flavors and tastes of the drink materials have been degraded, and the damage to flavors has been particularly significant.
For examples, various flavors are used in such coffee drinks, including naturally derived flavors and chemically synthetic flavors, but the essential components for coffee flavor, for example, furfuryl mercaptan and methional, can be are significantly lost upon heating. Thus, a remarkable decrease in the aromatic flavor is caused by said heating for sterilization after flavors have been added.
In consideration of such situations, a proposal has been made to produce container-filled drinks by blending a coffee component, which has been removed of microorganism by filtration, with a thermally sterilized milk component, and filling a mixture obtained into sterilized containers. (Refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Hei-10 (1998)-304823.)
This process, however, has been found not necessarily satisfactory in respect to the retention of coffee taste to a satisfactory degree.
Namely, the present inventor has found that, when a liquid coffee extract is filtered for the removal of microorganism, components of the liquid coffee extract, which are essential to original coffee flavor, are also removed during the filtration for the removal of microorganism, and thus, the original coffee taste becomes significantly deteriorated.
The explanation has been made in respect to coffee drinks, but the same can be true with not only coffee drinks but also various other drinks, of which tastes and flavors are important factors, such as black tea drinks, green tea drinks, fruit juices, etc.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a production process for novel tasty drinks which are retaining their original tastes and flavors.
According to the present invention, a production process for milk-contained soft drink is provided, which comprises mixing and emulsifying a milk component containing milk and an emulsifier to obtain a first drink component, sterilizing the first drink component at a high temperature under a first condition and cooling the same, obtaining a second drink component not containing a milk component, sterilizing the second drink component at a high temperature under a milder condition than the first condition and cooling the same, blending the cooled first drink component and the cooled second drink component under an aseptic condition to produce milk-contained soft drink.
According to the present invention, a first drink component containing a milk component and a second drink component not containing a milk component are handled independently, and the first drink component is sterilized under a sterilization condition equivalent to 121xc2x0 C. for 20-30 minutes, for example, at 138xc2x0 C. for 30 seconds, which is as severe as a conventional condition, while the second drink component is sterilized under a sterilization condition equivalent to 121xc2x0 C. for 5 minutes, for example, at 131xc2x0 C. for 30 seconds in order to suppress the thermal degradation of the flavor and taste of coffee or black tea contained in the second drink component. Accordingly, a milder condition in high temperature sterilization means, for example, a lower heating temperature and/or a shorter heating times.
Furthermore, in order to solve said problem, a production process for container-filled drinks is provided according to the present invention, which comprises blending, under an aseptic condition, a thermally sterilized beverage component and a flavor which has been removed of microorganism by filtration, and filling a mixture obtained into containers.
Furthermore, in order to solve said problem, a production process for milk-containing soft drinks is provided according to the present invention, which comprises mixing and emulsifying milk and an emulsifier-containing milk component to obtain a first drink component, sterilizing the first drink component at a high temperature under a first condition and cooling the same, obtaining a second drink component not containing a milk component, sterilizing the second drink component at a high temperature under a milder condition than the first condition and cooling the same, obtaining a third drink component containing a flavor removed of microorganism by filtration, blending, under an aseptic condition, the cooled first drink component, the cooled second drink component and the third drink component for the manufacture of milk-containing soft drink.
According to the present invention, a milk component and other beverage components are independently handled, sterilization is performed in appropriate manners for respective components so that the flavor and taste of coffee or black tea may be prevented from deterioration. Also by combining a process according to the present invention with a process wherein all the steps from extraction to filling are performed in the absence of oxygen, the deterioration is suppressed to a minimum and original flavors and tastes of raw materials may be further preserved.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, the flavor deterioration caused by the conventional method of thermal sterilization can be prevented by the adoption of a method by removing microorganism by filtration, that is, without heating, and thus, the original flavors and tastes of raw materials for a drink can be preserved.
Also, by combining a process according to the present invention with a process wherein all the manufacturing steps are performed in the absence of oxygen, the deterioration is suppressed to a minimum, and the original flavors and tastes of raw materials for drinks may be further preserved.